Lighting and G3

[mcpic]

Any tips for shooting glass??- more specifically shot glasses. I have futzed with various lighting (using black velvet backdrop) and now think I will have to shoot outside in daylight or hire a professional to get rid of these blasted reflections.
What is a soft box and do I need to have one?
Also -what lights (quartz, tungsten, fluorescent...) are preferable with Digital.
I have also noticed that the G3 has a hard time focusing when there is exteme contrast/hot spot (white / yellow) Should I use a filter? (i.e. polarizing).

Any input is much appreciated!!!

[John_T]

Well, a cirpol would be a good start. Since shot glasses are small, you could use somebody else here's trick for jewelery. Get a large translucent uncolored plastic container, cut a hole(s) for the camera and put the container over the object to shoot. You can even shoot outside in bright sunlight and get no reflections under the container. Any silly innovation that works will do. White sheet over your head, big white paper bag, etc.

If then your shot glass then looks too dull, you can add highlights and twinkle where you want it in your photo editor.

[mcpic]

Thanks so much John!! I will send you a pic when I'm done!

[phili1]

Most Glass items are shot back lit so it ahs a white rim. Since I read your request I tried some thing. I only have studio strobes and they are difficult to use for this type of photography. I probobly would use 3400k lights because they are cheap. Light the subject through a dome or diffuser. put it higher then the object pointed down.

I shot two shot of a glass Duck shot 1 was with over head lights three and you can see them in the duck. The second was a lamp back lit and very little light reflection.

They sell a shooting dome in differnt sizes but that light is flat, you want glass to sparkel;


http://www.pbase.com/image/22917420


http://www.pbase.com/image/22917524